Frank j



(No Model.)

I. J. HEARNSHAW.

SUPPORT FOR WIRE LATHS AND PARTITIONS.

No. 573,512. Patented Dec. 22, 1896,

m6. flaw J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. I-IEARNSHAW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOFRANK HEARNSIIAV AND AQUILLA XVINTERMUTE, OF SAME PLACE.

SUPPORT FOR WIRE LATHS AND PARTlTlONSn SPEOIFIOATION- forming part ofLetters Patent No. 573,512, dated December 22, 1896. Application filedJuly 1,1895. Serial No. 554,552. dramas.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK J. HEARNSHAW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Wire Lathsand Partitions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in supports for wire or gauzelaths when used either against the walls of rooms or buildings or as apartition to support the plastering, being especially adapted forfireproof constructions. Prior to my invention many dif-' ferent formsof such supports have been devised, all of which, so far as I am aware,have proven objectionable in practice by reason of their expensiveconstruction, the number ofparts and consequent complication, and theexpense and difficulty of applying them to their intended uses; 'butprobably the most serious objection to these prior constructions istheir lack of stifiness and proper support for the wire lathin g, whichpermits the latter to sag or bulge, so as to produce cracks in theplaster carried by the latter.

The object of this invention is a wire-lath support, possessing; in themaximum degree simplicity, durability, and economy, which shall be easyof application, comprising the minimum number of parts and capable oftightening the wire lathin g throughout to any desired degree oftension, where it will be held without the liability or possibility ofloosening and thereby permitting the wire lathing to sag or bulge,whether used as a side-wall covering, partition, or ceiling. This andsuch other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the devicesillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a sideelevation of a section of wire lathing having supports applied theretoembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2of Fig. 1, taken through one of the supports. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection of a modification of my invention, showing a double support.Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the end brackets or steps;

and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, showingthe lower end of one of the supports.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the severalfigures of the draw- 5 5 lngs.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the floorand ceiling beams, which may be composed of I-beams, as usual infireproof constructions, or of any other shape and kind of materialdesirable. To each of these beams at suitable intervals is rigidlysecured a bracket or step B by means of bolts or otherwise, thesebrackets being arranged in registering pairs on the respective beams.These brackets are provided with dovetailed or other suitableinterlocking sockets, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, to receivethe correspondingly-shaped ends of an upright C, to which one or both ofthe brackets may be applied before they are fastened to the beams, thepurpose being that the upright C shall be of a length substantiallycorresponding with the distance between the beams. Of course if thebrackets are simply provided with sockets that do not extend the fulldepth of the bracket, then the uprights would have to be correspondinglyless in length.

One face of the upright, as more clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3,is concaved or otherwise suitably recessed at D to receive acorrespondingly-shaped rib E upon another upright F, of a lengthsubstantially corresponding with that of the upright C, the twouprights, when put together, constituting a sectional support for thewire lathing, as will be described farther on. The wire lathing liesbetween the uprights C and F, which latter are fastened together by aseries of screw- 0 bolts G, which not only serve to unite the sectionsbut also serve to place tension on the wire lathing lying between thesupports, the tightening-bolts G being passed through the interstices ofthe lathing, or, where gauze is used, through suitable perforationsprovided therein.

Inpractice, in the formation of a partition or in applying the lathingto a wall, I first set up all of the uprights C and then fasten 10o thewire screen firmly to the uprights at the ends of the-wall or partition.The uprights F are then applied to the uprights O,'and the propertension is put upon the lathing by tightening up the bolts G, whichgives to the lathing a rigidity sufficient to support any amount ofplaster usually applied thereto without the danger of bulging, and asthe supports are entirely covered by the plastering, when the' wall orpartition is finished, the parts are thereby locked against loosening,so that the tension will be maintained.

In practice the sections of the support constitute grounds as a gage forleveling up the brown coat, which is laid flush with the outer edgesthereof, and if, as a result of carelessness in applying the tension,the lathmy invention.

ing is found to be not rigid enough, it can be further tightened beforethe application of the white coat, or finishing-coat of white plaster,which will cover up the lathing and its supports. In practice, if it isdesired to have a double partition or lathing with an air-space betweenthe two lathings for the purpose of increasing the fireproofingqualities of the partition, the steps or brackets may be formed double,and two uprights, like 0, may be applied thereto, back to back, and twouprights F may be applied to the first-mentioned uprights, so as tosecure the two lathin gs and maintain them suitably separated to providean air-space between them in the manner previously described.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated the double bracket, with its accompanyinguprights O, and it will be understood that the uprights F are preferablyapplied thereto by a single bolt, which shall serve for both pairs ofuprights.

It will thus be seen that the wire lathin g or gauze is supported anddrawn up or stretched at every point throughout its surface instead ofat separate points, as heretofore, and the result is a tightening of thelathing between the supports and beams much after the manner of adrum-head. The ease and readiness with which these supports may beapplied to any building will be readily perceived, and it will beequally apparent that no especial skill is required to be exercised inthe use of The durability and economy thereof are also apparent, and thesupports and partition or wall formed thereby may be rendered as rigidas is necessary for any practical purpose, there being no specifiedlimit to the number of supports which may be applied to any particularwall or partition. Furthermore, the supports, when applied to a wall,will subserve the purpose of furring-strips to provide an air-spacebetween the lathing and the wall and prevent contact of the plasteringwith the wall.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. 'A support for wire or gauze lathing comprising a bar composed ofrigid or inflexible longitudinal sections, brackets or steps forreceiving and securing one of said sections to the building-beams, andmeans for securing the other section to the first-mentioned section, themeeting faces of said sections having interlocking surfaces throughouttheir length, between which the lathing is clamped, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

2. A support for wire or gauze lathin g comprising a bar composed ofrigid or inflexible longitudinal sections, brackets or steps forreceiving and securing one of said sections to the building-beams, andmeans for securing the other section to the first-mentioned section, oneof said sections having a recessed or concaved face throughout itslength, and the entire length of the other section being provided withan opposing ribbed or convexed face, between which faces the lathing isclamped, substantially as described.

3. A support for wire or gauze lathing comprising a bar composed ofrigid or inflexible longitudinal sections, brackets or steps secured tothe building-beams and provided with recesses to receive the ends of oneof said sections,and means for securing the other section to thefirst-mentioned section, the

meeting faces of said sections having interlocking surfaces throughou ttheir length,substantially as described.

at. A support for wire or gauze lathing comprising a bar composed ofrigid or inflexible longitudinal sections, steps or brackets secured tothe building-beams, and provided with sockets to receive the ends of oneof said sections, and means for securing the other section to thefirst-mentioned section, one of said sections having a recessed orconcaved face throughout its length, and the entire length of the othersection being provided with an opposing ribbed or convexedface,substantially as described.

5. A support for wire or gauze lathing comprising a bar composed ofrigid or inflexible longitudinal sections, steps or brackets secured tothe building-beams and provided with sockets to receive the ends of oneof said sections, and bolts passing through both of said sections so asto secure the same together, the meeting faces of said sections havinginterlocking surfaces throughout their length, between which the lathingis clamped, substantially as described.

FRANK J. IIEARNSHAXV. lVitnesses:

O. R. BARNETT,

M. E. SHIELDS.

